


The Bolder One

by menel



Series: What If We Do? [1]
Category: Pacific Rim (2013)
Genre: Friendship, M/M, One-Sided Attraction, Prequel
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-10-18
Updated: 2013-10-18
Packaged: 2017-12-29 18:39:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,171
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1008709
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/menel/pseuds/menel
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Before the events in <i>Now the Day is Over</i>, the Hansen brothers met the Becket brothers in Manila and Herc already admired Raleigh from afar, but it was Scott who got to know Raleigh far more intimately.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Bolder One

**Author's Note:**

> I couldn’t resist a prequel, not with Michael Fassbender as my new Scott headcanon. 
> 
> This fic does require prior knowledge of _Now the Day is Over_ (at least as far as Chapter 9), otherwise the ending isn't going to make much sense. And don't be fooled by the pairing. This is an unrequited Raleigh/Herc story at heart. OTP and all. :-)

The reception and dinner celebrating the defeat of the latest Kaiju to rise from the Breach and threaten the safety of the South East Asian region was being held at the grand, historic – and recently renovated – Manila Hotel by the bay. It was a star-studded event filled with PPDC brass, local politicians and celebrities, as well as the wealthy elite of the city. Herc didn’t particularly care for these events, but he’d attended enough of them in his life to know that they were a necessary evil. Schmoozing with the bigwigs, securing more funding, playing nice with those who could determine your fate meant dressing up and being a talking sock monkey for an evening. Luckily for Herc, the other half of his Ranger team was _fantastic_ at schmoozing with the bigwigs and took much of the burden off of him, that is, until Scott had had too much to drink and would start mouthing off what he _really_ thought of the brass, which was generally an unflattering picture. But Scott was a man who could hold his liquor and by the time it came to any of that Herc would be prepared to do damage control, and usually the formal function would be over and Scott could let loose at whatever after-party they would find themselves at (because Scott always dragged them to after-parties). 

As Herc took in the milling guests at the ballroom, he realized that the evening was just getting underway and it would be hours before he and Scott would be able to escape. He took a sip of his whiskey, resolving to pace himself (as he always did) and watched as the Becket brothers entered the room, falling into the long line that was the meet-and-greet with the hosts and important dignitaries of the evening. The Manila operation had been a three-Jaeger drop with Gipsy Danger and Lucky Seven tasked to back-up China’s flagship Jaeger, Horizon Brave. It was the first time he and his brother had worked with the Beckets; the second time with Horizon Brave’s team. Herc was well aware of the Beckets, of course, the U.S. contingent’s goldmine of a find for the Jaeger Program. The Beckets had quickly risen in the ranks. They were good, intuitive pilots and fierce combatants out in the field. Stacker had trained them personally and despite their antics that had occasionally exasperated the Marshal, he’d confided in Herc that he had a lot of faith in them. The Beckets were one of the good ones. They would fight the good fight. The war propaganda machine clearly agreed with Pentecost’s assessment, launching the Beckets into the stratosphere after their first Kaiju kill. Herc knew that they did more recruitment drives and propaganda work than any of the other Ranger teams combined, including he and his brother, and he didn’t envy them that position. He could understand, however, why they were in that position. The Beckets were the ideal choice to represent the Jaeger Program – young, talented and extremely attractive. There were boys growing up around the world who wanted to be just like them (his own son was one of their fans), and these boys would enlist in the Academy and hopefully become the future Rangers that would eventually win them this war. 

Herc watched as the Beckets made their way through the line. Although the younger of the two, Raleigh was out in front, shaking hands and flashing that thousand watt smile. Herc suspected that Raleigh would give Scott a run for his money in the schmoozing department. There was something about that kid. Herc hadn’t even met him yet but he could tell from a distance. Charisma. Charm. It radiated off of Raleigh and drew people to him. It certainly didn’t hurt either that the kid was soft on the eyes. Yancy, of course, was doing his part as well. From his interviews, Herc got the impression that Yancy was the more sedate of the two, playing the part of the older, responsible brother, a part that Herc could relate to very well. He turned his attention away from the Beckets who had drawn most of the official photographers to the line, drifting to where Scott was conversing with one of the members of the PPDC Council. He was certain that he’d meet the Becket brothers at some point during the evening.

* * * * *

Herc did meet the Beckets during the course of the evening but it was not in the way he’d expected. The tables were arranged by contingent and the American Jaeger team was ensconced with the American division of the PPDC; Horizon Brave’s Jaeger team were with the corresponding Chinese contingent and he and Scott were with the Australian crew of Lucky Seven. The three Jaeger teams weren’t even seated side by side but were spread out over the giant ballroom, forming an equilateral triangle. Herc was about as far away from the Beckets as he could possibly be, not that he had given much thought to the seating arrangement.

The evening was starting to wear on him and Scott had disappeared sometime during dinner. His brother didn’t enjoy sitting still for long periods of time, a trait that he’d had since childhood. As soon as he was able, Herc made his way out onto one of the balconies adjacent to the main ballroom that had a view of the bay. He was greeted by the salty tang of the sea air and he inhaled deeply. He walked to the edge of the balcony, spreading his hands on the stone edge as he appreciated the view before him. In the evening, and the damage caused by the first Jaeger attack softened by the twinkling city lights, Manila Bay was still beautiful. The air had a December crispness to it, combatting what he knew would be the usual humidity of the country. Even so, the stone beneath his hands was warm from having absorbed the heat of the day. It was hot in Manila all year around, the varying levels of humidity determining whether the heat would be bearable or not. 

“Had enough of that crowd too?” someone asked him. 

Herc turned around. He hadn’t noticed the bench on the far side of the balcony, shrouded as it had been by the foliage, nor the figure that was sitting there. The person stood up and walked towards him. Herc was impressed that he didn’t reveal any surprise when Raleigh Becket emerged from the shadows. He thought Raleigh looked a little shy, but that notion was so uncharacteristic from what he’d seen on the news and read about the younger Becket that he was likely misinterpreting the situation. 

“We haven’t met yet,” Raleigh said, holding out his hand. “I’m –” 

“Raleigh Becket,” Herc finished for him, grasping the offered hand with a firm grip. 

Raleigh grinned. It wasn’t the thousand-watt smile he used for the press, but something softer and a little closer to home. 

“Ranger –” 

“Hercules Hansen,” Raleigh said, still grinning. “Sir,” he added as an afterthought, dialing down the smile a little. 

Herc realized that by using his title he’d inadvertently formalized the introduction. He was about to correct Raleigh’s misconception when they were interrupted. 

“Party’s already underway,” Scott announced, striding onto the balcony. 

Herc glanced at his brother, releasing Raleigh’s hand as he did so. He wondered how Scott knew he was here. Scott stopped before them, grinning his own mad grin. 

“Shen’s a party animal,” Scott said by way of explanation, referring to one-half of Horizon Brave’s Ranger team. Herc realized then that Scott had been speaking to Raleigh all along, that his brother had known that Raleigh would be here. “So, we gonna get out of here or what?” he asked, looking from Raleigh to Herc for confirmation. 

“I’m ready,” Raleigh agreed, his enthusiasm evident. “Let me go get Yance.” He looked at Herc again. “You’re coming, right?” 

Herc could feel his brother watching him. He usually went to the after parties even though they weren’t his favorite scene, but he felt it was his responsibility to make sure that Scott didn’t get into too much trouble. Tonight though, Scott had barely had anything to drink and was as sober as Herc could remember seeing him at one of these functions. Of course, that could all change once Scott was _at_ the after-party, but for the most part it looked like Herc was off baby-sitting duty if he wanted to skip the after-party. 

He didn’t want to skip the after-party. 

“Sure,” he told Raleigh and was rewarded with that smile. Herc had only met the kid but already he thought that smile was addictive. No wonder fans spent hours gazing at magazine covers and photo shoots, imagining that that smile was exclusively for them. 

Raleigh nodded and then looked at Scott. “See you up there,” he said, as he passed the other man. 

Scott gave Raleigh a grin of his own as he and Herc watched the younger man leave. 

“He’s something else, isn’t he?” Scott said when they were alone. 

“Seems like it,” Herc said. 

“I reckon it’d be worth it to find out,” Scott said thoughtfully. 

Herc did his best not to frown, but he drew his lips in a tight line as he read between the lines. Scott was open and free with his liaisons, often the cause of Herc and the PPDC’s headaches as they worked to keep Scott’s indiscretions out of the tabloids. His brother was hardly discriminatory with whom he hooked up with, but fellow Rangers were, for the most part, off limits. Despite the disparate postings scattered across the Pacific Rim, it wasn’t smart to sleep around with someone whom you could potentially have to work with, combat scenario or not. Scott usually stuck to Jaeger flies, star struck fans, and the occasional wife (or daughter) of a dignitary (just to make Herc’s life more complicated). Herc decided to remind his brother of this. 

“Raleigh’s one of us.” 

Scott didn’t answer right away. Herc knew his brother had understood what he meant. Finally, Scott shrugged. “I’m just after a good time and the kid looks like he knows how to do that.” 

This time Herc couldn’t stop the look of disapproval that crossed his face and Scott nudged him with an elbow. “C’mon,” he said teasingly. “You telling me you wouldn’t tap that if you had the chance?” 

Herc knew that he was positively glowering at his brother now and his reaction only made Scott laugh. 

“Lighten up, mate!” Scott said. “I was just fucking with you. I know you’d be the perfect gentleman and while I can’t promise the same,” he admitted. “I’m not going to hurt him. And if he’s not interested, I’ll back off. All right? I’m not about to ruin one-half of the PPDC’s cash cow so Pentecost can chop my balls off.” 

Herc was only mildly appeased. What disconcerted him was the knowledge that Scott was also charming and charismatic in his own right and he wondered if Raleigh would be able to resist his brother’s advances.

* * * * *

Lo Hin Shen and Xichi Po had secured the penthouse for the after-party. The night was still young by after-party standards when Scott and Herc arrived, but they could tell that things were going to escalate quickly. The Chinese Jaeger team was feeling particularly grateful to be alive, their Jaeger having sustained critical damage during the battle that day. They had fought well until the Kaiju had managed to pierce Horizon Brave’s hull with its barbed-tail, almost taking out the Conn-pod in the process. The Jaeger had been immobilized out at sea, but Gipsy Danger had been on hand, immediately knocking the Kaiju off balance with a sharp right-handed punch. The Kaiju had roared in displeasure, landing on all fours, the spikes on its dangerous barbed tail catching the sunlight. But it hadn’t seen Lucky Seven approach from behind, gabbing hold of its tail in two different sections. Controlling the right hemisphere, Herc had held the end of that vicious, writhing tail as it tried to stab the Jaeger. Scott, meanwhile, had anchored the midsection of the tail, venting Lucky Seven’s coolant onto it. The monster had immediately tried to curl back and attack the Jaeger, but had only ended up in a headlock with Gipsy Danger as the American Jaeger had pummeled its face. The fight had ended soon after, the frozen tail snapping under Lucky Seven’s hands and the almost unconscious Kaiju falling from two shots from one of Gipsy’s plasma canons. That was why Lo Hin Shen and Xichi Po were partying hard tonight. The reality that they could have died today and the fact that they hadn’t was the driving force behind the celebration.

Scott and Herc entered the main room of the penthouse where most of the crowd was gathered around the two Chinese pilots. There was loud cheering and some sort of competition appeared to be underway. The Hansen brothers watched as Shen did a body shot off one of the female members of the Chinese contingent who had stripped down to her bra and a very short skirt. Then it was Po’s turn and as the crowd parted to give him some room, they both caught sight of Raleigh, standing almost at the center with the two other Jaeger pilots. Herc recognized the look of predatory delight that broke across his brother’s face and a moment later Scott was moving towards the crowd, pushing his way through the sea of faces until he was standing in front of Raleigh. He leaned forward and said something in Raleigh’s ear to which the other man just laughed, waving over Shen and Po. Herc didn’t need to be there to know what Scott had just said. Scott had no doubt suggested that he and Raleigh should challenge Shen and Po to a drinking competition, likely starting with the body shots that the Chinese team had already started. Herc knew this because it’s precisely the sort of thing his brother would say if Herc were being his wingman. The two of them had drunk many a challenger under the table. Herc wasn’t sure how Raleigh would fare with his brother, but then he supposed that winning the competition wasn’t exactly what Scott had in mind. Getting the kid drunk so he could get in his pants was hardly a subtle tactic and Herc found himself turning away in slight disgust. He needed a drink himself and he headed for the bar located at the far end of the main room. 

“What can I get you, sir?” the bartender asked him when he reached the bar. 

“Whiskey, straight up,” Herc answered, leaning against the counter, his body angled sideways. Despite his reservations, he was still drawn to the drinking competition in the center of the room, his eyes immediately seeking out his brother and Raleigh. He found them just in time to see Raleigh take a body shot off what looked like a blond Jaeger fly. 

The tumbler of whiskey appeared by Herc’s side and he picked it up, his gaze not leaving Raleigh who had caught the young woman in his left arm and had proceeded to kiss her. Herc shook his head. The woman was literally swooning in Raleigh’s arms and who could blame her? 

“Are you on baby-sitting duty too, sir?” 

Herc realized the bartender was still beside him and he turned his head, surprised to see Yancy Becket standing there. 

“Did you quit your day job, Becket?” he asked in return. 

Yancy laughed. “Looking after my baby brother _is_ part of my day job,” he replied, good-naturedly.

Herc understood that’s what Yancy meant by ‘baby-sitting duty.’ The elder Becket had been cognizant enough to figure out that Herc might have the same relationship with his own brother and damn, if he wasn’t right. 

“Drop the ‘sir,’” Herc told him, his words coming out like an order even though he hadn’t meant them that way. Even after hours he couldn’t quite shed the military persona. “Forgot to mention that to your brother,” he added to soften the effect of his words. 

Yancy nodded. “Then it’s just Yancy,” he said. “Or Yance.” 

“Herc.” 

“Herc,” Yancy repeated, trying his name out for size. He grinned and Herc couldn’t help but notice how attractive the elder Becket was too. They really were the golden boys of the PPDC. “Baby-sitting duty?” he repeated. 

Herc’s gaze drifted back to the center of the room. The participants were about to start the second round. 

“Too early to tell,” he said honestly. “Scott’s no lightweight,” he added, referring to the competition unfolding before them. 

“Raleigh isn’t either,” Yancy said in a tone that implied that his kid brother could probably drink him under the table. “Looks can be deceiving.” 

Herc tore his gaze away from the crowd and looked back at Yancy. “I don’t think I am on baby-sitting duty tonight,” he said. “Since your brother looks like he can take care of himself.” 

Yancy’s blue eyes (Herc wondered if Raleigh’s eyes were just as bright. He could hardly tell in the dim lighting of the balcony below) widened slightly in surprise at Herc’s implied meaning and he nodded. "Well, then,” he said, still smiling but his tone held a determination that was unmistakable. “Even if Raleigh couldn’t take care of himself, that’s what big brothers are for.” 

Herc hid his smile in his tumbler of whiskey. Scott had better watch out. Yancy had all but confirmed that he would kick Scott’s arse three ways to Sunday if he messed around with Raleigh. He liked Yancy Becket immediately. 

“So,” Herc said, polishing off his tumbler. “You gonna get out from behind that bar and join the party?” 

Yancy, who had been leaning against the bar counter stood up, offering Herc a mock salute. “Yes, sir,” he answered sharply with what must’ve been the Becket brother shit-eating grin for the paparazzi.

* * * * *

The two of them were inseparable after that. These sorts of parties were hardly conducive to getting to know someone beyond a one-night stand but despite the noise and the music, the flowing alcohol and the steady state of undress surrounding them, they somehow managed. Herc could tell that Yancy wasn’t about to let his brother out of his sight, not with Scott steadily preying on the younger Becket (Scott’s reputation had preceded him) and Herc didn’t mind their not-quite-so-discreet surveillance.

Jaeger flies came and went. They flitted particularly heavily around Yancy since Raleigh had made it clear where his interests were for the evening. As Herc watched Yancy shoo the flies away or humor them depending upon his mood, Herc’s imagination was going into overdrive. He began wondering if the Becker brothers had ever double-teamed a Jaeger fly, if they’d ever double-teamed anybody at all. He and Scott had, although he always had to be talked into it, usually with the aid of copious amounts of alcohol in order to reach the fine balance of not caring but still being functional in the bedroom. More disturbingly, the women tended to bear a resemblance to Angela in some way and the one guy they’d taken back had been a young, blond Adonis. Herc knew it was all fucked up but that hadn’t stopped him. He was supposed to be keeping Scott in line, but Scott could make him do stupid things too. 

Shen and Po had won the drinking competition, though Herc suspected when Raleigh and Scott briefly joined them at their outdoor table by the pool, that Raleigh had somehow convinced his brother to throw it. Yancy had been right. Raleigh was no lightweight. Herc couldn’t guess at Raleigh’s reasons for wanting to throw the competition but the action demonstrated how serious Scott was about getting Raleigh into bed if his brother’s fierce, occasionally bordering on unhealthy, competitive nature had allowed it. Or maybe Scott’s acquiescence meant that Raleigh was working his magic on the younger Hansen too. Whatever the reason, Herc quashed the pang of envy he felt as Raleigh fell into the chair beside him, loose-limbed and relaxed. He grinned at Herc and for a moment, Herc thought he saw that same hint of shyness that Raleigh had exhibited when he’d introduced himself on the balcony. Whether the shyness was there or not, Herc couldn’t bring himself to return that smile and he inwardly cursed his own serious nature. He must come across as the strict tight-ass compared to his fun-loving brother. 

Said fun-loving brother appeared a few moments later, leaning over Raleigh in such a sexual way that Herc thought Scott might actually strip the kid on the spot and simply have his way with him. 

“Ready to get out of here?” Scott asked in a low voice. 

Raleigh responded by working a hand into Scott’s already unbuttoned dress jacket. Herc knew he should look away, that the moment was about to become intimate, but he couldn’t tear his gaze from the hand moving up his brother’s chest, nor the way Raleigh fisted the cotton dress shirt underneath and pulled Scott toward him. 

Scott was prepared for the kiss and he melted into it, his right hand gripping the back of Raleigh’s head as he braced his left hand on the chair’s arm so as not to fall into Raleigh. The kiss was deep and Herc finally averted his gaze. Across the table, he caught Yancy’s look of grim disapproval even as he kept his own expression impassive. 

“I take it that’s a ‘yes’?” Scott asked when the kiss ended. Raleigh nipped at his bottom lip and nodded, allowing Scott to pull him to his feet. 

“You two better not wait up,” Raleigh said casually, but the look he was giving his brother was one of complete seriousness. 

“Rals,” Yancy said, a note of warning in his tone. 

Raleigh’s look was equally challenging and a silent communication passed between them, ending with Yancy finally nodding. It made Herc wonder how often the younger Becket brother got his way. He’d be willing to bet that ‘All the time,’ was the answer. 

Scott nodded to him and spared Yancy a quick acknowledgement as well (one that Yancy returned with a very curt nod of his own), before he took Raleigh’s hand and led him back into the penthouse. God only knew where they would actually spend the rest of the night. They walked close together, their bodies touching in a way that made it seem like they’d known each other for years instead of a scant few hours. Something had to be said for chemistry and even a blind person would be able to see that his brother and Raleigh had it in spades. 

Across the table, Yancy let out a long-suffering sigh. He reached forward and finished the last of his Cerveza Negra. “I guess our job’s done for the night,” he said, sounding as dejected as if he’d just failed a Kaiju simulation. 

Herc could sympathize. 

“No offense to you or your brother,” Yancy went on. “But I kinda wish Scott had left with one of those Jaeger flies instead. I thought they were more his MO.” 

“They are,” Herc answered, leaving out the part about how he’d been hoping for the same outcome as well. But Raleigh was the ultimate temptation and Scott was also known for giving in to that. He stood up. “I’m calling it a night,” he said. 

Yancy sighed. “Yeah, me too.”

* * * * *

Herc didn’t see Scott at breakfast. In fact, Scott hadn’t dropped by the double room the PPDC had booked for them by the time Herc had showered, changed and headed downstairs. He did see Yancy at the hotel’s main coffee shop where breakfast was served in the mornings, sitting at a table by himself with a cup of black coffee in front of him. Apparently, he was an even earlier riser than Herc. Yancy waved him over.

“How’s the hangover?” Yancy asked conversationally. 

“Manageable,” Herc replied. “It’ll be even better once I get one of those in me,” he added, motioning at Yancy’s black coffee. 

“We’ll fix you up,” Yancy told him as Herc sat down. He waved over one of the waiters carrying a pot of coffee, who proceeded to pour the dark liquid into Herc’s cup. 

Herc savored the smell of the freshly made brew, immediately picking up the delicate white cup, so unlike his usual PPDC-issue steel gray mug, and took a long drink. The liquid was so hot that it burned but Herc didn’t mind. He could feel the last of the hangover fog lifting already. 

“Don’t suppose you’ve seen . . .” 

Herc shook his head. He knew to whom Yancy was referring even though the other man hadn’t finished his sentence. 

“Me neither,” he admitted. He glanced at the long buffet table where breakfast had been laid out. “I’m a big breakfast kind of guy,” he told Herc. 

“Most important meal of the day,” Herc agreed, standing up and following the other Jaeger pilot to the buffet area. 

When they were seated again, both of them with large American breakfasts and refills of their coffee, they picked up the conversation that they had managed to have amidst the after-party the night before. Herc knew for certain that this wasn’t just the alcohol talking. He liked Yancy Becket. A lot. They got along effortlessly. 

“Got any plans for today?” Yancy was asking him. 

Herc shook his head. They’d all been given a rare day of extra shore leave before they’d be shipped back to their respective ‘domes. For the Beckets that meant Anchorage, Shen and Po had the nearest trip to Hong Kong, and he and Scott were a little further away in Sydney. 

“I’d like to check out the Spanish walled city or what’s left of it,” Yancy said. “It’s called Intramuros. We’re near. I know it’s tourist-y,” he went on with a slight roll of his eyes before Herc could rib him. “But what the hell? It’d be nice to do something normal for a change. I’d drag Raleigh with me, but . . .” 

Herc understood. “Why not?” he agreed. “I could go for some local art and culture.”

* * * * *

Herc was waiting for Yancy by the open deck on the ground floor of the hotel. They’d asked the concierge how to get to Intramuros, thinking they’d just take a taxi if it were too far to walk. But once the hotel management found out where they were headed, they’d offered to provide a car free of charge. It was the least they could do for the pilots that had saved their city. Sometimes there were perks to being war heroes.

It was going to be a hot day, but the breeze was blowing in from the sea and Herc didn’t think the humidity would be so bad. 

“Hey,” someone called out to him. 

Herc saw Raleigh walking towards him and he reminded himself to not look like such a stern grandfather. He thought Raleigh looked even better during the day. 

“Didn’t think I’d see you or Scott before noon,” Herc admitted, managing the barest hint of a smile. 

Raleigh’s face lit up at this unexpectedly friendly greeting (without doubt the friendliest Herc had been to him so far) and he shrugged. “If I’m not on call, I’m normally a late sleeper,” he admitted. “It’s Yancy who gets up at the break of dawn. But I dunno. I couldn’t seem to sleep in today.” 

Herc’s eyes were scanning the area where Raleigh had emerged. Raleigh must’ve noticed and understood his scrutiny because he said, “Scott’s still having breakfast. I saw you standing here from the coffee shop,” he explained. 

Herc felt a pleasant warmth at the idea that Raleigh had walked out here just to speak to him, especially since he hadn’t given the other man any kind of encouragement in their brief interactions. 

“You going somewhere?” Raleigh asked with a slight cock of his head. 

Herc wondered if the kid had a sixth sense about him or worse, did _he_ have that tourist-y air about _him_? 

“Your brother wants to check out Intramuros,” Herc answered. “Thought I’d go with him.” 

“Oh, yeah,” Raleigh said thoughtfully. “Fort Santiago and the walled city. He mentioned that before.” Then he grinned. “Yancy’s the much more cultured one.” 

“Looks like I’m your substitute today,” Herc told him. 

A strange expression crossed Raleigh’s face that Herc couldn’t read. “You don’t have to be,” Raleigh said slowly. “I mean, I wouldn’t mind going to the walled city with the two of you.” 

Herc laughed suddenly, startling Raleigh. The idea of Scott doing something so _banal_ . . . 

At Raleigh’s confused look, Herc explained. “Scott’s not the sightseeing type.” 

His words seemed to light a fire in Raleigh and the younger man took them to be a challenge. “Oh yeah?” he replied, a definite note of ‘We’ll-see-about-that,’ in his voice. “We’ll meet you there.” 

Herc began to laugh again. Scott was so whipped.

* * * * *

True to his word, Scott and Raleigh turned up at Fort Santiago less than thirty minutes after Herc and Yancy had arrived. In fact, the two of them were still milling around the entrance when the second car emblazoned with The Manila Hotel logo on its side drove up. Herc and Yancy hadn’t got much further than paying the entrance fee and the Visitor’s Center, which doubled as a tourist shop beside the main gate before Yancy had been mobbed by the locals and other foreign tourists who’d recognized him. He was still surrounded by them, patiently signing autographs while Herc had struck up a conversation with one of the older gentlemen, a fellow Aussie who was there with his wife on vacation, on the fringes of Yancy’s adoring fans. Herc had been approached for a handful of autographs himself, but he was exuding the sort of forbidding military persona that made only the very brave go near him.

When Raleigh and Scott appeared, one could feel the crowd’s excitement levels escalate. _Both Becket brothers are here!_ was the murmur that went through the people around them. Raleigh had shot Herc a victorious ‘I told you so,’ look before he’d been mobbed himself, the press of bodies directing him to where Yancy was so that they were standing together in the center of the crowd, posing for pictures and signing more autographs. Herc didn’t envy them. The fame and glory he disliked only slightly less than the schmoozing. He turned just in time to see Scott walk over to him, brushing aside anyone who recognized him and was asking for an autograph. Scott looked particularly disgruntled this morning. Raleigh had probably had to drag him out of bed, drag him down to breakfast and then haul his ass into the car provided by the hotel. And they got here in record time too. The idea of his brother being led around by a kid made Herc smile. 

“Is this love?” he asked his brother when Scott came to stand beside him. 

“Shut up,” Scott said grumpily, presumably glaring at the sunshine through his sunglasses. “It is too damn early for this,” he muttered. 

Herc chuckled softly, watching the Becket brothers handle the crowd with ease. He was coming to understand that the aura the media projected around the Beckets was very real, but that the brothers were also so much more than the media and the PPDC propaganda machine portrayed them to be. In fairness, wasn’t that always the case? The startling revelation in this instance was that not only did Yancy and Raleigh live up to their hype, but that they were even _better_ than what their fans imagined. 

Eventually the security guards of Intramuros asked the fans to disperse so that Yancy and Raleigh could actually enjoy the Fort that they had come to visit. Scott was a little less grumpy by then, and he looked even more appeased when Raleigh walked over to him, slipping his right arm through Scott’s left as they began their tour of the Fort. It was a rather public show for any paparazzi that happened to be around (or anyone who simply wanted to snap a photo and then sell it to a local rag), but for once Herc wasn’t inclined to ask his brother to be more discreet. He supposed that if he had Raleigh Becket on his arm, he’d want the whole world to know too. 

Yancy had purchased a small guidebook to the Fort from the Visitor’s Center and had assumed the position of their unofficial guide. The four of them walked through the Fort, Yancy stopping them every now and then to point something out and talk about the historical significance. In the lower levels of the Fort, Raleigh and Scott disappeared for a little while and when they eventually resurfaced as Herc and Yancy were about to go back up to the main level, they both look a little rumpled but very loose-limbed and content. Yancy simply shook his head at his brother and Raleigh only grinned in return. Scott’s bad humor had completely disappeared. Herc supposed that’s what happened when you traded blowjobs in the dungeons of Spanish forts that are hundreds of years old. He tried not to think about it because thinking about his brother’s sex life was simply too disturbing and it made him ache just a little. 

They spent a little over an hour at the site but it was still too early for lunch when they’d explored all that Fort Santiago had to offer. They left the Fort, sending one of the cars back to the hotel, insisting that they could all fit in one vehicle. The car that was left behind trailed after the four of them as they walked the cobbled streets of Intramuros, stopping at more of the Heritage Foundation sites, including the recreated Casa Manila. They entered the historic church down the street and Yancy practically shot Raleigh a look that said, ‘Behave.’ Raleigh’s eyes were laughing and Herc wouldn’t be surprised if the kid pulled Scott into one of the confessionals to blow him again just to spite his brother. He did his best not to think of that image either. 

By the time they left the church, it was almost noon and Herc was starting to feel hungry. He was about to suggest that they get something to eat when Raleigh said, “Isn’t Chinatown nearby?” 

Yancy looked at his brother somewhat incredulously and Raleigh laughed again. “What?” he said with mock offense but he was smiling all the same. “I _do_ listen to you when you go all intellectual on me. So, Chinatown?” he prodded. “What I would kill for _hakaw_ right now, if that’s all right with everyone,” he added. 

“Fine by me,” Scott replied. He’d never had a discriminating palate; neither did Herc so he shrugged non-committedly. 

Raleigh was the youngest among them and Herc got the sense that he could effortlessly play the part of the adorable kid brother who always got what he wanted. 

“It’s too far to walk,” Yancy said, heading towards the car. “Maybe Ernesto can suggest some place authentic.” 

Ernesto, their driver for the day, was more than willing to suggest some place ‘authentic.’ Chinatown was indeed nearby in a place called Binondo, but the streets were far too narrow and crowded to drive through so he parked on the outskirts just before one of the bridges that crossed an estuary and they walked from there. 

The restaurant that Ernesto took them to was a hole in the wall, but Herc and Scott had been to far worse looking places. In fact, it was these places that usually proved to be the real treasures and this joint wasn’t about to be the exception. They were the first to arrive and were ushered to the ‘largest’ table in the corner. By that, it meant that four grown Caucasian men could just about squeeze onto the two benches. To Herc’s surprise, Raleigh sat next to him. Scott sat opposite Raleigh, beside Yancy who was facing Herc. Both he and Yancy were going to become best friends with the wall by the end of the meal, pressed as tightly as they were against it. 

“You think you could move a little?” Herc asked Raleigh after they’d placed their orders. 

The regular lunch crowd was filtering in and the tiny restaurant was packed in a matter of minutes. It was an all Filipino-Chinese clientele and the chatter of Cantonese and Fukien soon filled the air. The refreshing thing about this crowd, in contrast to the locals and tourists at Fort Santiago, was that they ignored their foreign guests completely. No one gave a rat’s ass that four Jaeger pilots, heroes of the Manila attack from _the day before_ were having lunch with them. 

“Where to?” Raleigh asked him pointedly and Herc could see why. Raleigh was already at the edge of the bench and it was a small miracle that he hadn’t fallen off of it. Across from them, Scott and Yancy were having the same problem. 

“Right,” Herc said with a slight grimace. The food at this place had better be frickin’ awesome. “Tell me if this bothers you,” he told Raleigh, shifting slightly so that his arm was behind Raleigh’s back, resting on the bench. He angled his body to the left, freeing his right side from the wall so that he’d actually be able to use his chopsticks. 

“It’s fine,” Raleigh said. If anything, he seemed to be leaning into Herc so that there was more space between him and the edge of the bench. They were in close contact and Herc knew that it would get very warm soon – the restaurant wasn’t air-conditioned and used overhead fans – but Herc found that he didn’t mind so much. Raleigh was a comfortable weight against his side and he could almost feel the firm plane of muscle against his arm. 

When the food came, Raleigh made the most obscene noises after putting the first piece of _hakaw_ in his mouth. 

“Oh my god,” he said, sounding like he’d just had an orgasm. “You guys have to try this.” 

Herc was the first to do so, leaning over and taking a piece of the dim sum right out of Raleigh’s bamboo container. Raleigh looked at him expectantly as Herc put the _hakaw_ in his mouth. The freshness of the shrimp, the tenderness of the wrapper and the explosion of flavor were impressive. He nodded his head in approval. Raleigh beamed, motioning for their waiter again. He ordered four more containers. 

“Sixty pesos per order,” Raleigh said in disbelief. “That’s like a dollar fifty and it would be impossible to find anything of this quality back in Anchorage.” 

“You’re a fan of Chinese food?” Herc asked. 

“Asian food, in general,” Raleigh admitted. 

“He likes exotic things,” Yancy added. 

Raleigh threw a balled-up napkin at him. “Don’t make it sound like a fetish,” he kidded. 

“You’re saying it’s not?” Yancy challenged. 

Raleigh only laughed and Herc surmised that there must’ve been some truth to the statement. 

The Becket brothers sustained most of the conversation during the meal and Scott easily adapted to them. It was clear that the three of them shared similar interests. Herc probably should’ve felt like an old fossil, but he didn’t. Instead, he was surprisingly content. The food was very good and he was glad that Raleigh had suggested Chinese. He found himself looking at Raleigh a little too much during the meal. It was hard not to since the two of them were pressed so closely together and Raleigh was often joking or talking animatedly. The kid had a wicked sense of humor. Both the Beckets did and their verbal sparring was indicative of how in tune they must’ve been in the drift. 

Once Scott caught him staring at Raleigh a little too openly, but Herc didn’t flinch from his brother’s gaze. Instead, he met it head on trying to read what he saw in Scott’s expression. There was no judgment there or smugness. If anything, Herc saw understanding and that was the hardest emotion to take most of all. The Beckets weren’t the only ones in tune and Herc wondered if his brother had picked up on his fondness for Raleigh even before he’d figured it out. It was highly probable but there was nothing either of them could do about it now. Scott had gotten to Raleigh first and both of them would respect that. Herc returned to his food. He was nearly done with his braised duck noodles when he felt a slight nudge where Raleigh had elbowed him in his side. He glanced at the other man. 

“You okay?” Raleigh asked him quietly. 

“I’m good,” Herc said. 

“Just the strong silent type?” 

“I’m no Rochester if that’s what you’re thinking.” 

“More Heathcliff then?” 

Herc grinned before he could stop himself. Such quick wit. Raleigh didn’t show this side to the media. He suspected that the other man had been coached not to. Instead, he’d probably been encouraged to be charming and gracious, to cultivate that rock star personality that would secure more recruits and support for the Jaeger program. But it was clear to Herc that Raleigh was fiercely intelligent too, not the intellectual streak that Yancy possessed, but a different kind of intelligence. The kid had EQ and IQ to go with all those good looks. It was a frightening and alluring combination. 

Herc didn’t rise to Raleigh’s bait. Instead he said, “I’m glad you suggested Chinese. This place is a real find. It’ll probably be the best meal we’ll have in Manila.” 

Raleigh gave him that soft smile again. “Thanks,” he said simply.

* * * * *

They spent the rest of the afternoon touring the city, staying within the vicinity of old Manila, with Ernesto as their guide. Herc couldn’t remember the last time he’d done anything like this but everything about that day had taken a surreal quality to him. Dinner was at Café Adriatico, another landmark restaurant in the famous Remedios Circle area that served more Spanish-influenced cuisine. It was also known for its people-watching and there was plenty to see. They left before they could turn into the object of scrutiny, walking the Remedios Circle after the meal and then the surrounding Malate area.

“I think we’ve just hit the red light district,” Yancy commented as the prostitutes began appearing and trying to catch their attention. 

“It’s about bloody time,” Scott joked. 

Raleigh stopped him with a tug on his shirt and Scott’s hands immediately came to rest on Raleigh’s waist. Some sort of silent communication passed between them before Scott nodded. 

“We’re going to head back,” he told the others. “We can take a taxi.” 

Herc and Yancy exchanged a quick silent communication of their own before Yancy replied, “Nah. We’ll head back with you. Knowing Shen and Po, they’ve probably got another party going on at the hotel anyway.” 

Yancy was right about another party. Herc didn’t actually know if Raleigh and his brother wound up at that party – he wouldn’t be surprised if they did – but their little group split into two once they got back to the hotel. It was inevitable after they’d spent the whole day together. Herc watched Raleigh and Scott disappear into an elevator; the image of Scott crowding the younger man against one of the elevator walls was the last thing Herc saw before the doors closed. Herc hoped his brother remembered that elevators had cameras and wouldn’t be caught doing anything too compromising on the way to wherever they were going. He didn’t feel like calling it a night himself and he turned to Yancy. 

“Fancy having a drink?” he asked. 

“Could use more than one,” Yancy admitted. 

Drinking at the hotel bar would be expensive, but at least it would be private and that’s where the two of them ended up, occupying one of the tables in the back, a bottle of whiskey between them. Herc marveled that he hadn’t grown tired of Yancy’s company yet and he briefly contemplated making a pass at the other man. They hadn’t picked anybody else up and Herc, despite what his brother thought, wasn’t opposed to getting laid. Sleeping with Yancy, while technically qualifying as a one-night stand, wouldn’t be random meaningless sex to him and he didn’t think it would be either for the elder Becket. They were halfway through their bottle of whiskey when Herc resolved to bring up the idea. He’d noticed that Yancy had become agitated shortly after settling down at the bar and was progressively becoming more so as the evening wore on. In fact, the other man looked flustered – hot and bothered is how Herc would’ve described it – as though his clothes were prickling him from some invisible heat. It wasn’t hot at all. In fact, the temperature at the hotel was very cool, but Yancy looked like he was on the verge of stripping right then and there. 

“You all right, mate?” Herc asked him with some concern. 

Yancy nodded, his expression somewhat pained and his lips drawn together in a tight line. It was hardly convincing. Herc was about to say something along those lines when Yancy suddenly swore loudly. 

“Fuck!” the elder Becket exploded, the hand holding his glass of whiskey shaking so violently that he spilled the drink. He jumped to his feet, simultaneously trying to dab at the whiskey on his shirt with a napkin as he blabbered some kind of an apology to Herc. Before Herc could respond, Yancy had already turned his back and was leaving the bar, calling loudly that the tab was on him. 

Herc sat back, at a loss to explain what had just happened. All he knew was that he wasn’t getting laid that night.

* * * * *

The third day in Manila was also the last day. After breakfast, the various crews would be headed their separate ways. Unlike the previous morning, Herc didn’t come across Yancy at the coffee shop, despite Raleigh mentioning that his brother was the early riser, a trait that Herc had seen for himself. Privately, he was still concerned about Yancy’s unusual behavior the night before and he decided to check up on him after eating.

Not seeing Yancy was not the only surprise to greet Herc that morning when Scott turned up solo and sat down at his breakfast table. Herc put down his cup of coffee and studied his brother. Scott looked a lot better today, compared to his sour demeanor yesterday morning. In fact, Scott looked great, laid back and filled with that easygoing confidence that always accompanied a night of amazing sex. Luckily for Herc, his brother was in no mood to lord it over him, opting to drink his coffee black and smiling lazily at their attractive waitress. 

Yancy had no such luck as the Becket brothers entered the coffee shop not long after Scott. Raleigh waved at them but ushered Yancy to a separate table, evidently keen to have some privacy with his brother. Yancy waved at Herc as well, and unless Herc was mistaken, the elder Becket looked to be a tad embarrassed. At least he looked well, Herc thought, banishing Yancy’s strange behavior the previous night from his thoughts. 

He and Scott shared a rare quiet and peaceable breakfast. Once Herc caught Scott staring at Raleigh fondly and it made Herc feel better to know that Raleigh wasn’t just another notch on his brother’s belt. The kid had gotten under his skin too. Raleigh was laughing at something and Yancy looked like he wanted to crawl under a rock and die, his reaction only making Raleigh laugh even harder. 

“You done?” Herc eventually asked his brother. 

Scott nodded. “Just give me ten minutes to pack,” he said, standing up. 

“Aren’t you going to say your good-byes?” Herc asked, gesturing in the direction of the Beckets. 

“Already have,” Scott told him. “See you outside, yeah?” 

“Yeah, all right,” Herc agreed, standing up as well. 

While his brother left the coffee shop, Herc made his way to where the Beckets were sitting. Their conversation stopped when Herc reached their table and they both looked up at him expectantly, Raleigh grinning broadly while Yancy offered a small, almost sheepish smile. 

“You feeling better?” Herc asked him. 

The question made Raleigh erupt in laughter again and Yancy glared at his brother before looking back at Herc. “Yeah,” he said. “I’m feeling a lot better. Thanks for asking. And sorry for ditching you like that last night. That was rude.” 

“No worries, mate,” Herc told him. “Just glad that you’re okay. Well,” he said, looking at both brothers. “Scott and I are heading out. It was good working with you boys.” 

“Collaboration,” Raleigh said, flashing Herc one last golden smile. “We should do it again some time.” 

At last, Herc managed a smile in return. “I hope so,” he replied. 

 

**Fin.**

**Author's Note:**

>  _Pacific Rim_ belongs to Guillermo del Torro, Warner Bros and Legendary Pictures. No offense is intended, no profit is being made.


End file.
